Lily Cole defends high price of eco-friendly fashion

Supermodel Lily Cole has defended the pricing of her eco-friendly clothing range.

The model acknowledges her The North Circular line's garments may appear expensive - with knitwear made out of wool from rescue sheep and hand-knitted, but costing £65 for and hat and a scarf retailing at £110 - but she insisted the costs are in place to ensure workers are not exploited during production.

She told The Guardian newspaper: ''I'm not against people buying clothes.

''I think clothes are wonderful and I'm very materialistic myself, but there's a way of finding a compromise.''

''I just think we can buy less and pay more, to make sure people aren't being exploited.''

''I'm a hypocrite. I'm not perfect and I admit that, and I feel guilty about that, but I try and do what I can, I think by having these dialogues, and trying to make conscious choices and become more aware, that's the only option really.''

Lily co-founded The North Circular, which donates five per cent of its profits to the Environment Justice Foundation, and she is also helping them by promoting a lower priced ethical garment, The Climate Week T-shirt, designed by Eley Kishimoto, which will retail through retailer Tesco for £10.

Lily, 22, recently went to India to witness every stage of the supply chain of the T-shirt - which has a carbon footprint 90 per cent smaller than the average top - and said she was astounded by how something sustainable could be produced so cheaply on such a large scale.

She added: ''It was such an amazing and heart-warming and optimistic experience, just to know you could produce an affordable T-shirt and it could be a positive process, employing people and not dumping loads of chemical dyes into the local river.''

The Climate Week T-shirt is available now and the week itself runs until Saturday (27.03.11).

Sponsors

Recent News

You can deny climate change as much as you like. The evidence contradicts you. Any logical study takes account of scientific data which can be reproduced. That is the difference between media reports and the global warming reality. Here we have an up-to-date report on the state of one nation, with many others also recognising and acting on how to combat climate change in a coordinated global response.

IUCN must be listened to, unless you are one of those who disregards any science on the grounds that it could be fake. Acting is the opposite to disinterest, but what can we do to counter the actions of great industries or the governments of large populations of people? The answer seems bland, but it proves individuals are always important.

From Myanmar, through the Congo to the Atlantic forests of Brazil, we are neglecting our rainforests, but temperate forests are also suffering, often from pest influences as global warming really takes hold in certain regions. How to help prevent a treeless future - as always, take these pieces of well-informed, well-rounded and interesting advice.

Sponsored Links

Recent Blog Posts

The future is certainly renewable, but are we too late to prevent future centuries problems of global warming- and the rest! Here are some current US solutions to waste and warming for you to enjoy---there are some ads in this piece but weve allowed them for one blog only.

When dolphins are 'rescued' in various countries, the car given seems to be ill-considered. We are simply looking at the success rate which is reported to be low, in most places. They could even end up in commercial aquarium shows, but they certainly rarely make it back to the sea.